So Many Hours, So Little Time – Miss Write

This is an article I had published in the May 2012 issue of MK Pulse magazine, tweaked for more writerly purposes. More articles are available on the magazine website, but I’m hoping to post more material here at some point. Photo courtesy of Linda’s Writers Clocks.

So Many Hours, So Little Time

There’s 24 hours in a day. It sounds like plenty, but most people only use about 16 of these productively. If you subtract the time taken to eat, travel, dress etc., it’s even less. I haven’t even included time spent at work yet, so you can easily see that your hours spent writing are severely limited.

If you could have an additional hour in your day, when would you place it? Would you put it to your advantage or not? Would you spend more time relaxing, or do something more proactive? Time flies, and you may be having fun, but could you use your time more proactively to get the most out of your day?

You may be reluctant to cut down on the hours you spend sleeping, but this is the easiest way to add a little precious time to your day. If you start small, say, getting up 10 minutes earlier each morning, you’ll barely notice the change. You’ll save an hour each day before you know it.

One hour’s writing = thousands of potential words!

You will have reprogrammed your morning routine to be much more productive and potentially transform your life. Sleep is fantastic, and I am no morning person; I need to be fed, watered, and gently encouraged into the day. However, I could definitely use an extra hour in my morning.

Kerry, MK Pulse Editor, agrees. Believe it or not, she said “5am would be the best time for me to have an extra hour at my disposal. I am most productive at that time of the morning.”

Another good way to find extra time in your day is to be careful what you watch on TV. Do you actually like that programme you’re absorbing? Are you just watching ‘the box’ because you’re bored, or do you genuinely enjoy unwinding in front of the TV? Cutting out just one TV programme could save you a minimum of 30 minutes a day.

Where else could you find that elusive hour? Consider these time savers… Perhaps you could shop online to save time? Could you take the train or bus to work instead of driving, freeing your hands to pen a quick couple of pages? Or you could invest in a slow-cooker so dinner is ready to plate up when you walk in the door after work? As a delectable bonus, you’ll also be welcomed home with a delicious aroma.

Personally, I would insert the extra 60 minutes around 2.30pm, when I am most productive and on a post-lunchtime coffee buzz. On precious my weekends, I would drop it in around 3pm, providing more time to visit friends, shop, travel – whatever takes my fancy.

With an extra hour every day, over the course of the year you would have another 15 days to play with. Remember, it’s time gained for you; not for anything or anyone else. So why not try to get the most out of your day? Making better use of your time could mean you might actually finish that novel. 

Lou x 

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